Not applicable.
Not applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a window shutter having both high strength and structural stability made of a solid front panel of polyvinyl chloride having at least one support member affixed in the panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Window shutters have been used for many years, either for decorative purposes, protection during storms, or both. Early shutters were typically made of wood and were subject to several problems including rotting, warpage and dimensional changes due to moisture absorption. More recently, polyvinyl chloride has been used to manufacture shutters. Although the use of polyvinyl chloride has solved many problems associated with wooden shutters, existing polyvinyl chloride shutters may still be subject to strength and structural stability problems. U.S. Pat. No. 5,848,505 issued to Taylor discloses a window shutter having a panel made from various components. The Taylor shutter includes two vertical side members 11, with each having a channel, which accepts an aluminum rod 14. The side members 11 are then attached to the center portion of the shutter via mortise and tenon joints. An adhesive is used to seal the mortise and tenon joints. Window shutters having a face panel made of multiple pieces have limited structural stability and do not pass the standard industry testing for sever weather stability. Consequently, a need exists in this industry to produce a polyvinyl chloride outdoor window shutter of sufficient strength and structural stability to pass standard industry testing of severe weather stability.
The present invention provides a window shutter that has both high strength and structural stability. The window shutter of the present invention is made of a solid front panel of polyvinyl chloride having at least one support member affixed in the panel to provide an increase in strength and stability. The support members can be arranged in various configurations including, but not limited to: at least one substantially lateral support member and at least one substantially longitudinal support member; at least two substantially longitudinal support members; at least two substantially diagonal support members; and at least one substantially longitudinal, at least one substantially lateral and at least one substantially diagonal support members. The support member can be covered by a polyvinyl chloride slat to conceal the support member. More particularly, an object of this invention is to provide a window shutter of generally rectangular shape having front and back surfaces and side edges and being made of a solid panel of polyvinyl chloride. The front surface of the panel is configured to define window shutter ornamentation such as raised panels or grooves.
Another object of this invention is to provide a window shutter comprising a solid panel of polyvinyl chloride; the panel having front and back surfaces and side edges, the solid panel having a channel to accept at least one support member, wherein the front side of the panel is configured to define window shutter ornamentation; at least one support member affixed in the channel and at least one slat configured to cover the support member, the slat is affixed to the surface of the panel.
Another object of this invention is to provide a window shutter comprising: a solid panel of polyvinyl chloride; the panel having front and back surfaces and side edges; the solid panel having a channel to accept at least one support member, wherein the front side of the panel is configured to define window shutter ornamentation and at least one support member affixed in the channel, wherein the support member is configured to retain an impact resistant member and an impact resistant member retained by the support member.
Another object of this invention is to provide a window shutter comprising: a solid panel of polyvinyl chloride; the panel having front and back surfaces and side edges, the solid panel having a channel to receive at least one support member, wherein the front side of the panel is configured to define window shutter ornamentation; at least one support member affixed in the channel, wherein the support member is configured to retain an impact resistant member; an impact resistant member retained by the support member and at least one slat configured to cover the at least one support member and impact resistant member, the at least one slat affixed to the panel.
Another embodiment of this invention involves a window shutter comprising: a solid panel of polyvinyl chloride, the panel having front and back surfaces and side edges wherein the front side of the panel is configured to define window shutter ornamentation, the solid panel having a plurality of channels; the shutter further comprising at least one lateral and at least one longitudinal support member being disposed in each of the channels and slats having a channel to accept the support members, wherein the support members are embedded between the panel and the slats.
Another object of the invention is to provide a window shutter made of a solid panel of polyvinyl chloride having channels to receive at least two substantially longitudinal support members, support members affixed in the channels and slats having a channel to receive the support members; wherein the support members are embedded between the solid panel and the slats.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a window shutter made of a solid panel of polyvinyl chloride having channels to receive at least two substantially diagonal support members, support members affixed in the channels and slats having a channel to receive the support member; wherein the support members are embedded between the solid panel and the slats.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a window shutter having two geometric sections comprising: a solid panel of polyvinyl chloride configured to form adjoining rectangular and arcuate sections, the arcuate section having three sides; the arcuate section formed by two sides being at right angles and the third side being curved, the panel having channels to accept at least two substantially longitudinal support members and at least two substantially lateral support members in the rectangular section and at least three channels to accept support members in the arcuate section; support members affixed in the channels in the rectangular section and affixed in the channels in the arcuate section and slats configured to cover the support members, the slats affixed to the back surface of the panel.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a window shutter comprising: solid panel of polyvinyl chloride, having front and back surfaces and side edges and at least one nonlinear support member affixed in the panel, wherein the front side of the panel is configured to define window shutter ornamentation.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a method to make high strength and structurally stable outdoor window shutters comprising the steps of: providing a solid panel of polyvinyl chloride; routing at least one channel in the panel to accept at least one support member, affixing at least one support member in to the channel, providing at least one slat configured to cover the at least one support member and affixing the slat to the panel.
Another object of this invention is to provide a method to make high strength and structurally stable outdoor window shutters comprising the steps of: providing a solid panel of polyvinyl chloride having front and back surfaces and side edges; routing the front surface to provide window shutter ornamentation; routing at least one channel in the back surface of the panel to accept a support member; providing at least one support member configured to be accepted in the channel; providing an impact resistant member adapted to be retained by the support member; affixing the impact resistant member to the back surface of the panel; affixing the support members in to the channels thereby retaining the impact resistant member under a portion of the support member; providing slats comprised of polyvinyl chloride having channels to accept the support member and embeddeding the support member between the channel in the panel and the slats and the impact resistant member.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a method to protect windows in a dwelling from extreme weather comprising: affixing a window shutter to the dwelling, the window shutter being comprised of a solid panel of polyvinyl chloride, the panel having front and back surfaces and side edges, the solid panel having a channel to accept at least one support member, wherein the front side of the panel is configured to define window shutter ornamentation; at least one support member affixed in the channel, wherein the support member is configured to retain an impact resistant member; an impact resistant member retained by the support member and at least one slat configured to cover the at least one support member and impact resistant member, the slat affixed to the panel and providing means to close the window shutters to protect the windows.